Sparking igniter for explosive-engines.



Patented Nov. 20, [900. A. J. SIGNUB. SRABKING IGNITEB FUR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

{Application filed Feb. 1, 1899.1

(No Model.)

[1V VEN TOR v I g J 47 WITNESSES A Home n4: Momma Firms 0o. wnmcxuma. WASHINGTON. n. c.

. a'rnivr rrtcn.

ALFRED J. SIGNOR, OF ELKHART, INDIANA.

SPARKING IGNITER FOR EXPLOSlVE-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 662,315, dated November 20, 1900. Application filed February 1,1899. Serial No. 704,142. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED J. SIGNOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elkhart, in the county of Elkhart and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electrodes forElec-tric Sparkers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electrodes for electric sparkers, and pertains to an electrode adapted for use in an electric sparker for explosive-engines, all of which will be fully described hereinafter, and par ticularly pointed out in the claims.

In electric sparkers for explosive-engines the points of the electrodes frequently become dirty or smoky and there is frequently an accumulation of carbon thereon, which will prevent an electric contact, and therefore either make no spark at all or a very weak one.

The object of my present invention is to provide an electrode so constructed that from the outside of the cylinder or valve-chamber it can be rotated, and thus cut or scrape away the accumulation of carbon, dirt, or smoke thereon, either while the engine is running or when it is quiet.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure Us a longitudinal sectional view through an electrode embodying my invention, showing it attached to the valve-chest, sparking-chamber, or cylinder of the engine. Fig. 2 is a detached perspective view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detached longitudinal sectional view of my improved electrode. Fig. 4 is an end View of the eccentric electrode.

Referring now to the drawings, A indicates the valve-chest, sparking-chamber, or cylinder of an explosive-engine, having an opening B.

O is a plate attached to the cylinder and provided with an opening D,which registers with the opening B of the cylinder or sparking-chamber. This plate 0 is preferably pro- .vided with an outwardly-projecting bushing E around the opening in the plate and having a screw-threaded longitudinal opening F.

Passing throughthis bushing E is an eXter-,

nally screw-threaded tube G, having its outer end provided with a nut H, by means of which it can be turned for screwingitin or out of said bushing. Passing longitudinally through this tube is the stem I of the electrode J, the said stem I passing through and beyond the outer end of the tube and carrying a detachable nut K. The electrode at the inner end of the stem has its outer end larger than the opening in the tube, whereby it abuts against the inner end of the tube, and the screw or head upon the outer end of the stem is preferably provided with an inwardly-extending bushing M, which receives a spiral spring N for holding the electrode against longitudinal play or movement. A clamping-nutP is placed upon the tube beyond the outer end of the bushing of the plate 0 and adapted to clamp the tube in its desired adjustment.

0 is the swinging electrode, pivoted at right angles to the stem of the stationary electrode.

Especial attention is called to the tapered electrode, which is tapered to carry its point a to one side of the axes of the stem thereof, whereby the point is eccentric to the stem. The object of this construction is that by means of the nut or screw on the outer end of the stem the electrode can be rotated, audit will describe a circle upon the coacting electrode, thus scraping off the accumulation of dirt, smoke, or carbon therefrom and also from the end or point CL of the rotatable electrode itself. This action will rub bright the contacting surfaces of the electrodes,and thus always insure a strong spark.

The movable electrode 0 is actuated by means of a cam cl, rotated in any desired manner by the engine, (not here shown, as this forms no part of my present invention,) with which cam theend of a spring-actuated rod 0 is adapted to engage, the other end of the said rod being pivotally connected with a short crank-arm Z), attached to the shaft of the movable electrode 0. The operation of carrying the electrode 0 against the contactpoint a will be readily understood from the drawlngs.

The electrode can be rotated while the englue is in operation or while it 'is at rest, as

IOO

that this spring. may be omitted and other equivalent means used therefor. By means of this construction the electrode is also adjustable toward and away from the coaeting electrode 0, whereby it can be made to bear thereon with the desired amount of pressure and adjusted to secure the best possible results.

. From this description it will be noted that the electrodecan be rotated for cleaning its surface and the surface of the coacting electrode without affecting the adjustment of the electrodes, in that the tube I is not affected in its adjustment by the turning of the electrode, which is a great advantage in a device of this character.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an igniter the combination of an endwise movable and rotatable electrode having at its inner end an outwardly-extending eccentric contact-point, of a movable electrode having a pivotal connection extending at an angle across the axes of the rotatable electrode thereby movable in a direction from and toward the eccentric contact-point, the movable electrode extending across the contact-point of the rotatable electrode, whereby when therotatable electrode is moved against the movable electrode and rotated the engagin g surfaces of the electrodes are scraped,

substantially as described.

2. In an igniter, the combination with an electrode comprising a plate having an out wardly-projecting internally-screw-threaded bushing, an externally-screw-threaded tube passing therethrough, and an electrode-stem passing through the tube and having at its outer end an operating-nut and on its inner end an enlarged contact-head, said head having an eccentric contact-point extending outward from the outer face thereof, of a swingin g electrode, the pivot of said swinging elec trode extending at an angle across the stem of the other electrode and adapted to be carried against the eccentric point thereof, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALF RED J. SIGNOR. Witnesses:

ORVILLE T. CHAMBERLAIN, WALTER BROWN. 

